The support was used to buy 300 chickens, rehabilitate houses, buy food and catering for worker and veterinarians looking after the widows’ chickens.
Women Team Leader at Access Bank, Nadine Rutabayiro said that the bank intervened backing the project of these mothers who started with little savings and explained that Access Bank has other programs empowering women for progress through advisory services and training.
“Access Bank activities are not only limited to providing loans to women but also supports them in other areas. We will keep a closer collaboration with beneficiaries offering training and advisory services and identifying challenges faced in the projects to be supported,” she revealed.
The President of Humura Pe cooperative, Theresa Mugorewera lauded the support from Access Bank expected to boost welfare.
“We want to keep growing and expand so that we can support others. We shall work hard to sustain, expand this project and maximize benefits from it,” she said.
The president of Avega-Agahozo, Valerie Mukabayire lauded the support and observed that genocide survivors continue to rebuild 25 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Access Bank management and staff also visited the Ntarama genocide memorial in Bugesera district where they received explanations on how Tutsi in the surroundings were killed.
Ntarama memorial is home to 5,000 genocide victims.
The book launch took place at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village [KCEV].
‘Moi, le dernier Tutsi’translated as ‘I, the Last Tutsi,’ is a 187-page book featuring real-life experience the author endured during the genocide which left him orphaned after losing family.
Habonimana who was 12 during genocide saw his relatives killed in his face. During the genocide, he lived with Interahamwe and went with them as they attacked and killed Tutsi on different occasions.
He was born in former Mayunzwe sector, Tambwe commune in Gitarama Prefecture currently in Ruhango district, Southern Province.
He starts the book with a narration of how genocide began in the area ten days after killings of Tutsi had started in other parts of the country.
In the book, the author recalls names of victims killed on the hill in the area called ‘Nzaratsi’ currently nicknamed as ‘Calvary hill’ reflecting an old man Sebuyonde Leonard who was killed on it and put on the cross.
The author narrates how they kept hiding until Interahamwe took them to be killed at the Calvary hill.
This is where he got inspiration calling the first part of the book ‘Calvaire’ (Calvary).
Habonimana currently has 4 children. His father Célestin Ruhigira and his uncle were killed in before him while his mother Odette Mukankuranga and brothers were thrown in a toilet in his presence.
Habonimana dedicated part of pages of the book with a song as a way to reflect how his parents loved and trusted God.
“I reserved a large part of the book for a song because many of them were Christians and went to Heaven. My mother had faith in God in her life. She was thrown in a toilet singing ‘Nyiribambe ndaje unyakire’ (I am coming to you Merciful God) and ‘Nimukomere bagaragu ba Nyagasani’ (Be strong servants of the Lord) songs,” he told participants of the book launch.
“My mother had a Holy Bible. They deprived her of the Bible before she was thrown in the toilet. I got extreme sorrow because I wished she would die with her bible” added Habonimana.
On 64 and 65 pages, the author talks about the rape of women and depicts Inkotanyi as a soldier who sacrificed his life to stop it.
Habonimana said writing the book was meant to help future generations understand the history of the country.
“I will depart but testimonies will always exist. I preferred to write as a potential a living testimony to be used by the world in future centuries. I am sure that Charles will live forever because of the book,” he revealed.
Habonimana decided to write history after meeting Daniel Le Scornet in France when he was invited to provide testimonies.
Daniel Le Scornet from France in Argenteuil, author of different books including ‘Bisesero, Les Héros de la Résistance’ said that it was possible to stop genocide. “I know that French soldiers were present but did not intervene at the right time when their support was needed. There was a possibility to stop genocide,” he said.
{{Inspiration for the name ‘Moi, le dernier Tutsi’
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Habonimana got inspiration of the book’s name ‘Moi, le dernier Tutsi’ from the fact that he survived amidst being on the list of targeted Tutsi to be killed.
He said that on 23rd April 1994, Clotilda the wife of teacher Gerard became the first Tutsi killed in Mayunzwe.
The author explained that he lost his entire family on 24th April and left with her sister Uwanyirigira Yvonne.
After killings became intense in the area, his family fled to a friend called Kanyamashokoro but nieces of the host called Interahamwe to kill them.
“We were taken from the home to the Calvary hill. They killed my father and uncle with a truncheon hit. After seeing that I asked them to kill me at once with a machete hack. That request made me the last Tutsi. Sebuhuku who led Interahamwe during attacks said ‘I find someone we have been looking for. You remember that we agreed to find a female and a male Tutsi to be kept and killed later appropriately, hang them so that future generation will know how a Tutsi looked like’, ”recalled Habonimana.
Habonimana, 36, was the only one who survived at the Calvary hill and was taken by the leaders of Interahamwe attacks for domestic work.
The author thanked RPF Inkotanyi soldiers for rescuing him and asked everyone to take part in making Rwanda a safe country.
His book starts with portraying Rwanda as a hopeless country and concludes portraying the resilience journey and rebuilding of Rwanda.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG), Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana said others should emulate the initiative of Habonimana to write history on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and other persecutions endured before the genocide.
Moi, le dernier Tutsi is written in French and was released on 21st March 2019 in a ceremony that took place in Paris. It is expected to be translated into other languages to reach a wider audience.
The book is currently available at Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi and in Ikirezi Library at a cost of Rwf 18,000.
The cowherds respectively aged 19, 24 and 20 have been seized in Bisizi cell, Nyakiriba sector of Rubavu district.
The executive secretary of Nyakiriba sector Bosco Tuyishime said they are going to tighten security to prevent such thefts.
“They have been caught butchering the cow. Similar cases were common five months ago but we are going to tighten security. We have handed the culprits to Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Kanzenze station,” he said.
The survey conducted by Western Province placed Rubavu on top of districts where a large number of Girinka cows were stolen in 12 years; 134 of 233 cows stolen in Western Province were from Rubavu district.
His death was known in the wee hours of this morning when residents on patrol saw his house on fire.
The Police spokesperson in Kigali city, CIP Marie Goretti Umutesi has told IGIHE that the man returned home around 4 am smoking tobacco which is suspected to have caused the fire.
“He passed by residents on patrol smoking tobacco as he returned home. Those who rushed for rescue found him dead. The mattress on which he was sleeping had caught fire on one side. It is suspected that the tobacco he was smoking might have caused the fire but the investigation is underway to establish the truth,” she said.
CIP Umutesi said other items in the house caught fire through the gas facility inside the house didn’t burst.
She warned people against smoking in bed.
Butare was living alone in the house away from his wife and children.
The promise was made yesterday during the official inauguration of 23 health posts completed in Nyagatare district by the Ministry of Health (MINSANTE) and different partners including Imbuto Foundation and Society for Family Health (SFH) Rwanda among others.
Each health post was completed at over Rwf 19 million (USD $ 22,000)
Emmanuel Nzabamwita one of the residents said they used to foot the journey for three hours to reach the nearest health center before the new health facility that some preferred to stay home.
“The health post comes to make access to health centers easy. We would walk at least three hours to reach the nearest health center. We used to spend a maximum of six hours along the journey. With this facility, no one will run out of health care again,” he said.
The Governor of Eastern Province, Fred Mufulukye said the war of bullets ended now the guns are aimed at war on poverty and fast-tracking development and decentralizing for good services delivery.
He requested residents to take advantage of services made available and promised completion of a health post within each cell by the end of this year.
“We have completed 23 health posts in addition to the 30 that existed before. We are going to build more 34 that will leave each cell having a health post by the end of this year,” said Mufulukye.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Diane Gashumba hailed partners for their role in building the health posts assuring that the Government will keep a close eye and provide all the necessary support so that residents get better health services.
“We request residents to subscribe for Mutuelle de Santé and seek health care from facilities made available,” she said.
Nyagatare district has one district hospital, 20 health centers, 53 health posts, 16 private clinics, and over 10 pharmacies.
Prof. Shyaka made the remarks yesterday during the Diversity and Inclusion Forum organized by the World Bank and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Rwanda.
The forum brought together delegates from 15 countries that came to learn from Rwanda’s resilience after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and how citizens managed to live again in harmony.
Prof. Shyaka said that Rwanda’s goal is to promote inclusive growth in politics, welfare, and economy among other areas after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that all choices made were meant to set up policies integrating all citizens.
“Policies enabling equal sharing of opportunities were established along with and giving room to various areas of national welfare, in politics and development. Most of the time poor people are forgotten when talking about inclusive growth. Rwanda’s politics established supporting programs so that no one is left behind the development and improved wellbeing,” he said.
“Today, a winning political party doesn’t take everything. That is our inclusive vision and unique feature of Rwanda giving us pride. We chose it because we learned from our history and how divisive politics are destructive. We pulled lessons of promoting inclusive politics,” added Prof Shyaka.
UNDP representative in Rwanda, Stephen Rodriques said the forum was organized because part of the population is excluded in development over diversities like religion, ethnicity among others in different parts of the world.
“At UN it is our creed that all people must be equal in front of the law and treated equally. This is what we are promoting,” he said.
The worries were raised recently during the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi held at Nyanza Genocide Memorial.
The president of IBUKA, Prof Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu thanked President Paul Kagame for exceptional leadership during the liberation struggle to stop genocide but expressed worries on reintegration measures.
“We can assure him that we don’t trust how genocide convicts are prepared before reintegration into the communities after completing their sentences. We find the process wanting,” he said.
Figures indicate that at least over 800 genocide convicts will be released this year, 920 will be released in 2020, 1496 in 2021, and 3620 in 2022 while 2012 will be released in 2023.
Some released convicts are not willing to apologize to offended people while others don’t reveal where remains of genocide victims are so they can be accorded decent burial.
The Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), Fidèle Ndayisaba has told IGIHE that there is a need to strengthen measures of reintegrating released genocide convicts because it takes a long time to transform a person having harbored genocide ideology for long.
“There are activities that must be carried out during their jail term including how they are helped and taught because they are not jailed to face prison’s walls only. Such activities are not only meant to be done by the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission,” he said.
He explained that there are more psychiatric activities organized after their release because ‘someone who committed such a heavy offense is severely hurt that he/she requires psychiatric programs freeing them to be completely transformed.’
Ndayisaba stressed that such initiatives have to be reinforced especially during this period when many of genocide convicts who were handed 10 years and beyond are about finishing their sentences.
“Districts have adopted strategies of visiting inmates in prison to engage with convicts. Convicts meet leaders to hear their concerns and meet a representative of genocide survivors; it prepares them for transformation and getting them ready for integration to live in harmony with others when they are released into the society,” he said.
“Their families, neighbors should be informed that those convicts will be released. It is necessary for them to get such information earlier so they don’t be surprised to see the person returning to the society,” added Ndayisaba.
It was also highlighted by the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG), Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana that they hold talks on genocide every year especially during the commemoration period.
He stressed the need to draw constant policies to teach inmates because they are subject to be taken to court in case they commit another offense after release.
“It doesn’t mean there are unusual behaviors but they don’t often know that sentences handed to offenders are completed. This leads them to bring allegations that someone was released before completing the sentence. When we analyze the case, we find he/she finalized the sentence,”
The spokesperson of Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), SSP Hillary Sengabo, said that there are a number of programs through which genocide convicts are pacified and are becoming fruitful.
“When we realize that some genocide convicts feel transformed, they send letters to offended people then we connect them to apologize. Such gestures demonstrate that the person we taught is willing to change,” he said.
“The number of those doing it is little compared to genocide convicts but we prepare them as we can before an inmate completes the sentence and released. We cannot keep someone in prison after finalizing sentence because he/she has not yet apologized but they appear to have been transformed in general,” added Sengabo.
He explained that fruitful results of offered programs is measured through the absence of released genocide convicts returning to prison for genocide ideology.
“Today, only 30% of inmates are genocide convicts. It is a smaller number compared to inmates imprisoned for other crimes. This means others were released. They are integrated into the community while others completed the community service. When we don’t see them back for genocide ideology, we assume that they got transformed,” said Sengabo.
He made the call yesterday in Mukingo sector of Nyanza district, Southern Province saying the initiative aligns with the country’s vision to fast track Rwandans development.
The insurance product dubbed ‘Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi-Mworozi’ loosely translated as ‘Farmer, be secured as you are insured’ is implemented by MINAGRI in collaboration with partners including Radiant Insurance company, Access to Finance Rwanda, Prime Insurance Company and Sonarwa.
Under the subsidized agriculture insurance scheme, a farmer will provide 60% of insurance fees while the Government caters for 40% of farmers payments. The livestock value is determined by the farmer.
As she launched the insurance, Minister Mukeshimana said: “The insurance is specially designed to help farmers become climate change resilient. As you know we have been facing poor climate leading to the loss of agricultural yields. The purpose is to enable farmers to resist those problems.”
She explained that it will help to boost farming yields.
Minister Mukeshimana urged subscribers of the insurance to take advantage of it requesting loans from financial institutions.
“For instance, the bank cannot have worries of giving Rwf 100,000 or Rwf 150,000 for someone with a cow worth Rwf 300,000,” she said. The pilot phase of livestock insurance has started in Nyanza, Gicumbi, Musanze, Ruhangho, Nyagatare, and Burera districts while crop insurance will be implemented effective from Agriculture season 2020A st6arting with Gasabo, Nyagatare, Bugesera, Gisagara, Kirehe, Gicumbi, Huye, Rulindo Ngoma, and Rwamagana districts.
Livestock insurance went into effect soon as it was launched. An insurance company will compensate cows dying from accidents, diseases or outbreaks.
The cost of insurance equals 4.5% of the total value of the cow.
The insurance concerns jersey and half jersey cows from 90 days after birth until 8 years excluding bulls.
Each insured cow has to be digitally registered.
The mayor of Nyanza district, Erasme Ntazinda said that the district counts over 54000 cows of which more than 23,000 are expected to get the insurance.
Gaudance Kanamugire, the chairperson of Rwanda Association of Assurers (ASSAR) unveiled that they will keep closer collaboration with the Government to extend agriculture insurance to all districts.
The AU Troika is composed of Rwanda as the former AU Chair, Egypt as the current chair and South Africa as the next AU chair
The emergent summit was convened by Egypt President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi as the current chairperson of African Union.
Other participants include the Chairperson of African Union Commission, Moussa Mahamat Faki who is expected to give a report to the heads of states on how security issues can be addressed in those countries.
Faki has recently concluded a visit to Sudan following the crisis that followed the overthrowing of president Bashir.
The committee of AU studying on security matters in Libya led by President Sassou N’guesso will make reports on the progress of restoring peace in Libya.
President el-Sisi is also expected to lead discussions on Sudan matter to convene Tchad, Congo Brazzaville, Djibouti, Rwanda, Somalia and South Africa assessing how leadership can be passed on peacefully.
